January 17, 2011 was the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Congo’s first democratically elected Prime Minister, Patrice Emery Lumumba. Friends of the Congo (FOTC) will commemorate the 50th anniversary by joining justice seekers throughout the globe who will be showing films, holding rallies, and organizing teach-ins and forums to commemorate the life and ideas of Patrice Lumumba.

FOTC encouraged its supporters, which span over 50 countries and 300 university campuses and communities throughout the globe, to participate in the commemoration by showing films on Lumumba.

Friends of Congo also joined in solidarity with the family of Patrice Lumumba in calling for justice for the people of Congo. We appealed to all justice seeking people throughout the globe to join in this worldwide call in support of the Congolese people’s quest for justice.

In the United States the anniversary fell on the same day as the official celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday. Dr. King famously said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” We appealed to the disciples of Dr. King to join us in calling for justice in the Congo.

Films/VideosLumumba. 2000, 115 minutes, DVD English Directed by Raoul Peck“It deftly depicts the clutches that Belgium had on the Congo. It also teases out easily for us the European and American forces that were behind the power the inflict the Congo today. The film was sure to specifically implicate the U.S., rightly so, in the murder of Lumumba. It also lets us in on the problems that were present with the inner conflict of the Congo, between Lumumba, Mobutu and Katanga.”